Friday the 13th: Why Is It Considered Unlucky?

Friday the 13th can make people feel a little uneasy, but what makes this day so unlucky? Friday the 13th combines two enduring superstitions, the number 13 and Friday. One explanation for why 13 is unlucky actually comes from the Bible. Judas, the disciple who betrays Jesus Christ, is the thirteenth guest at the Last Supper. This myth appears in other folk stories, such as in Norse mythology, where the thirteenth guest, Loki, ruined a dinner party for the gods. Friday has also always been considered the unluckiest day of the week. In Britain, Friday was historically known as Hangman's Day because it was the traditional day for public executions. There are also religious reasons. As in the Bible, Jesus was executed on Good Friday. Medieval Christians linked other biblical tragedies to Fridays, such as Cain murdering Abel. Eventually, popular culture merged them together and it became the unluckiest day of the year.